


Communion

by SoulnaMuffin



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Dark Side Rey, Deception, Desperation, Dream Sex, Eventual Smut, F/M, Graphic Description, Jealous Hux, Lies, Mind Manipulation, My First Smut, Post-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Regret, Semi-Slow Burn, Sleeping with the enemy, Using a lie to tell a truth, Waking up from a drunken stooper and realizing shenanigans happened and it's all your fault, fucking with your mind, supressed feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-02
Updated: 2016-07-19
Packaged: 2018-07-19 13:31:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7363240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoulnaMuffin/pseuds/SoulnaMuffin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rey agrees to go on a last-resort mission for the Resistance. With all but a handful of their bases destroyed and leaders killed, the Resistance is desperate for a plan that will halt further advances from the first order. Kylo Ren has been the assault leader responsible for decimating almost all of the Resistance bases. How has he been able to do so much damage in only a matter of months? Desperate times call for desperate – no – unimaginable measures. To jam a temporary wrench in the First Order’s juggernaut of assaults until they can summon fresh backup, the Resistance formulates a plan to send a spy to the First Order…a spy with a very special mission: to kill, or at least stall, Kylo Ren, and relay information back to the Resistance. Will the plan work? It will have to. It’s the Resistance’s last hope.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. For the Greater Good

**Author's Note:**

> Important Note: Chapter One is going to start with a scene that will come later in the story. It then takes a few steps back to where I actually want the story to begin, and eventually, it will lead into the opening scene.
> 
> *deep breath* This is my first fan fiction EVER. I've dabbled in writing fictions in the past, mostly OC fictions, but never actually posted them for others to read. I've been a Star Wars fan since I was little, but I have to admit I'm not a die-hard know-it-all fan. You know, the kind of follower that knows everything - every molecule under every characters ass - and reads all of the books and follows all of everything that has ever been made that is the Star Wars franchise. With that being said, I am writing this story based on the knowledge I do have of the characters and their universe. If something isn't perfect or doesn't fit in to the original story line, oh well, because this is my version of how things happen. It's purely for entertainment and to fulfill all of the dirty, filthy, degenerate thoughts streaming through my mind regarding Reylo. On that note, I am thoroughly Reylo trash and am going to hell on this ship! Haters gonna hate, what can I say? ;D I dabble in drawing when I'm in the mood, so you can most likely expect some pictures to accompany the story in the future.
> 
> Now, moving on...
> 
> This story begins after the Starkiller Base has been blown to hell. Basically, post Episode VII. 
> 
> Please feel free to leave comments - good and/or bad. Feedback is always a great thing! Love you guys and I hope it fulfills some sick and twisted dark corner in your hearts!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey returns to the Resistance base on D'Qar because she has been summoned to meet with Leia and Ematt. She is thrilled to see her friends again, but the excitement is short lived after Poe lets her in on the reasons for her summon.

_Deep inside the Star Destroyer of the First Order..._

The halls echoed with the sound of steps.

Rey walked briskly down the sterile corridors, turning sharply on her heel as she rounded corners. Passing storm troopers glanced her way. Their brief stares were ignored and swallowed by the sound of her boots hurriedly making their way down the dark, rigid hall. Her speed and direction made it clear that she was bound for a very specific destination.

Her First Order standard-issue garb fit comfortably around her body. Its crisp, black material caressed her skin, bestowing her with an aura of severity.

Hands clenched at her sides, she neared the final hallway that hosted the chamber of Kylo Ren. Her steps were firm and specific. With an upright posture and chin in the air her eyes darted left to right scanning her surroundings. One lonely storm trooper positioned in the middle of the hallway caught her eye. The click of her movement froze and a sudden, eerie quiet resumed. She stood only feet in front of the guard, not even bothering to look his way.

"State your position," Rey commanded absent of emotion. The trooper clicked his heels together and saluted.

"Sector 9 Security, maim!"

Rey's eyes fluttered to a close as a smirk slithered across her mouth. She shifted weight and moved her arms behind her back, loosely tangling her fingers in her hands.

"Tell me, then, is Sector 9 limited to this hallway?"

"No maim."

With her body still in place she turned only her head towards the trooper. Her eyes shot like darts into his visor.

"Then I suggest you be on your way." A slight pause clutched the moment.

"Yes maim!" He saluted and began on his way.

Rey stayed frozen like a statue in her position until she watched the guard round the corner and disappear. Her eyes scanned the area once more. The coast was clear. The expression on her skin softened and she loosened her posture.

 _Damn!_ Rey's mind barked. _How long will I have to keep up this charade?_

She resumed her approach until she stood dead center in front of his chamber doors.

She raised her hand to the door, gently curling her fingers in anticipation. Just as her knuckle came millimeters from the cold slab, she froze. A sudden chill crept from her chest and spread down her arms and torso, pooling at her toes. The hair on her delicate yet hardy skin stood up from the sudden jolt. Her arm, still frozen in place, suddenly felt like rubber. She inhaled deeply but silently, her bottom lip curling between her teeth.

“This is absurd,” she scowled in a barely audible whisper. “There has to be a better way.” Her teeth gnashed slightly, eyes glancing to one side.

Without taking her eyes off her surroundings, she reached down at her side groping around for her weapon. Her fingers ran across her stomach and down her left side. A weapon so small as to be barely perceivable to the eye, rest strapped and hidden high up on her left thigh. Attached to the weapon was a tiny chip – a transceiver – its red light blinked on and off indicating the transmitter was still functioning, her only lifeline. Rey gave it two gentle pats as if it were a small animal. She released her breath, almost forgetting how long it had been in her chest.

“Alright,” she whispered to herself as she gently pressed her forehead against the door. It felt as cold as the man who dwelled behind it, she thought. Her lungs took another deep inhale and expelled the still, sterile air just as fast.

Again, she raised her arm and curled her fingers into a loose fist. She gave the door two swift knocks.

The hum and hiss of the contraption opening suddenly filled the air. Rey’s heart began beating faster. She swallowed as the doors slid apart and Kylo Ren’s quarters lay in view. She stood hesitantly at the entrance, wondering what to do.

“Enter.” Commanded a soft yet firm voice.

Rey obliged and took a few steps into the room. She jumped slightly as the doors suddenly hissed to a close behind her. In a fraction of a second she took in her surroundings. The quarter was relatively round in shape – neither too big nor too small. In fact, there was barely enough light to see much of anything. The entire room seemed to be decorated in all black – every texture, every material and decoration seemed dark or rigidly cold in some way. Most of the illumination came from the surrounding stars filtering in through a slatted oculus bulging from the ceiling. A polygonal structure about waist high rested to her left. She could make out only the outline of what appeared to be a mask of some type resting on its surface. Her eyes shifted. Directly in front of her seemed nearly pitch black. To her right she noticed a large, rectangular shaped platform that rose also about waist high. The light that reached it illuminated its features just enough for Rey to notice that the texture was soft, the only soft object in the entire room.

 _A bed?_ She pondered. Imagining Kylo Ren sleeping brought her an instant wave of humor. She laughed in her mind as she imagined him snoring, body spread out across the entire bed, as if greedily conquering its every inch for himself. This brought a very faint smile to her lips, not that anyone could see it in that desolate room. She imagined him in his underwear. His underwear and nothing else. Instead of feeling humored she felt a sudden wave of warmth fill her face. Her mind’s eye projected an image of Kylo Ren that she had never dared believe would ever cross her mind. Kylo, laying there in his bed shirtless, pantless, armorless, helpless as he sleeps. The muscles on his stomach and bare chest rising and falling with every breath. His forest of black hair spread across the pillow. Suddenly he stirs. His eyes gently open, scanning the room as it comes into focus. “Rey.” He whispers. She acknowledges him but does not move. “Rey.” He calls again to her, this time with an edge of desperation. She begins to walk towards him.

“Rey!” yelled the voice and suddenly she was jolted from the fantasy. Her eyes fluttered momentarily as she came to. There stood Kylo Ren across the way in front of her, hidden halfway in the darkness. The dim light seemed to somehow illuminate his eyes. They glistened as he stood in the shadow.

“This is no time to day dream.” He spoke. “We must move forth with your training as commanded by the Supreme Leader.”

Rey nodded. “Yes my Lord.”

“Very well then.” Kylo advanced out of the darkness closer to Rey, stopping just feet from her person. He tilted his head down to look at her. With a gentle sweep of his arm he gestured to the bed, palm up.

“Please,” he paused, “make yourself comfortable.”

Rey tried her best to control her twinge of awkwardness. _What is he thinking? This is his quarters – his bed – surely there has to be another place…_ Kylo sensed her hesitation.

“Is there a problem?”

“My Lord…” Rey started, her voice somewhat wavering. A few heartbeats passed but it seemed like minutes.

Again he gestured. “Please.” He commanded more-so than asked.

Despite her suspicions and worse-case-scenario visions, she slowly crept towards the bed – HIS bed – and sat. The bed made almost no noise as it sank under her weight. She placed her hands down on either side to support her posture. Surprisingly, she thought, it felt quite comfortable. The blanket felt heavy, tough and durable, but strangely soft as well. It differed widely from her own bed back on the Resistance Base.

“Now,” Kylo’s voice rolled. “Close your eyes.”

\- _One week earlier on D'Qar…_

“General!” shouted a Resistance member at the base’s control panel.

“What is it?” asked General Leia Organa as she turned around from her station to acknowledge his call.

“I have detected a small vehicle entering the atmosphere.” He pointed towards a blinking dot on the large control panel screen. He continued. “I believe it is them.”

Leia squinted at the screen and nodded. “What is the vehicle’s projected path?”

“Um… One moment General.” The member shifted his attention to the panel below. He began typing furiously. A smaller window containing numerical data appeared on the screen. He gave it a quick scan with his eyes. “General, it appears they will land approximately one mile south-west of our headquarters. “

“Generate the most accurate coordinates of their projected landing.” She twisted around to face the rest of the control room. “Poe Dameron!” she shouted. In seconds heavy footsteps could be heard running into the room.

“Yes, General?” Questioned Poe as he caught his breath. Leia pointed at the data on the screen.

“Prepare a party to intercept the vehicle once it lands. Use standard protocol.”

“Standard protocol?” Poe chuckled. “Aren’t we expecting Rey and your brother, Luke Skywalker?”

Leia closed her eyes and smiled. She sighed.

“Yes, Poe. However, we can never be too careful. Loosening our precaution at this point in time may literally lead to our downfall and ultimately the eradication of the Resistance.”

Poe just stood there frozen. He blinked. Then, a snarky smile crept across his face. He crossed his arms. “Well, General, if you put it that way…” He chuckled. Leia reciprocated with a smile.

“Now go. The other members, Finn and myself will prepare for the meeting with Rey.”

“Yes maim.”

Poe saluted. He turned and was on his way.

The Resistance squadron swarmed into place as a tiny craft approached the ground. Composed mostly of foot troops, they took position behind trees, rocks, and other natural terrain. The heavy, large assault ships rested hidden a ways back under the cover of the thick forest. Poe radioed headquarters to confirm the vehicle had landed.

Poe stepped cautiously out from the brush and into a partial clearing where the ship had come to rest. He slowly placed his hand over his blaster as the bottom of the vehicle opened.

The hatch made an echoing thud as hit the ground, sending dirt and dust into the air. Poe’s eyes locked on to the platform as a shadow began to appear and move closer to the ground. Finally, a familiar pair of boots and pants came into view. The figure stopped, twisted, and then bent down, peering at the forest.

Poe instantly recognized that it was Rey. He moved his hand away from the blaster and threw it up into the air, swinging it from side to side.

“Rey!” Poe shouted so loudly that it caused a flock of birds to disperse. “Rey, come on out! I’m here!” He continued to wave his arm like a wild man until she began running towards him.

“Poe!” Rey shouted back rivaling Poe’s intensity. “Poe! Poe!” Her voice cracked as tears enveloped her eyes.

The two met in a firm embrace. Poe grabbed Rey by her upper arms and held her back slightly, taking her in. He wiped the tears dripping down her face with his thumb.

“It’s been a while.” Poe said with a smile.

Rey flung her head to the side and wiped away some tears. “Months. I lost count.” She chocked as she let out a small laugh.

Poe looked her up and down. “You look good, Rey. It appears training with Luke has been going well.”

She nodded. “He’s a great teacher.”

“Speaking of the old man, where is he? Didn’t he come with you?” Poe’s brow furrowed.

Rey let out a small sigh. “He is not with me and will not be coming.”

Poe’s face looked confused as he continued to hold her.”Is the guy alright? I mean he’s by himself there…and not getting any younger...don’t tell the General I said that.”

Rey giggled and playfully kicked Poe in the shin.

“Master Luke concluded that he will not put the Resistance in greater danger by temporarily visiting the base. And…I agree with him.” She searched Poe’s eyes for a glimpse of understanding.

“Also, he believes that the remaining Jedi need to be separated as much as possible until the First Order has been disassembled... which is another reason why I came alone. It was only by some _miracle_ that he took me as his apprentice in the first place! Master Luke says that although my training is far from complete, I have learned enough to effectively sustain myself until the First Order is no more. Until then, he suggested that I help out Leia and the Resistance.”

Rey and Poe’s eyes locked for several seconds before Poe broke the gaze.

“She’s not going to be happy about this, but what are you to do? It’s not like you could force the guy.”

Rey smiled. “I think they both have a stubborn streak.”

The two horseplayed for a few seconds before coming back to focus.

“Rey. Gather your belongings. I will have the squadron take them to your quarters. We will follow behind and by the time I show you to your room your things will already be there.”

Rey looked up at Poe and nodded. “Of course.” She playfully shoved him. “You can catch me up on all the action I’ve been missing here!”

-

Rey and Poe walked through the forest towards the base. A quarter of the squadron escorted them.

“So you wanted to know about all the action you’ve been missing.” Poe blurted out in more of a statement than a question.

Rey nodded.

He drew in a long breath. “Well,” he ran his fingers through his hair. “It’s been surprisingly quiet here the last month. We were able to rebuild a good portion of the base – at least the underground parts – and even expand on them since you left.”

He played with the strap on his wrist. “But, before that we were attacked pretty hard even after the first time – you know – when you were captured.”

Rey rolled her eyes.

He continued, “I think it was their way of ensuring that we would be crippled for a long time. But!” He suddenly exclaimed and turned on his heel to face Rey. “They were not able to locate our X-wing hanger. So, for the first month the surviving members of the Resistance all crammed in there as we began to rebuild the underground headquarters. Let me tell you, sleeping that close to Finn was the worst thing I had to endure in my entire life. His snoring is relentless!”

Rey laughed and then bit her thumbnail. “Why would Leia want to rebuild in a spot that is a known location to the enemy?”

“For one the location of this base is very strategic. No one really comes here. There’s nothing but dense jungle for miles and miles. And bugs. Lots of bugs.” He shuddered.

“You won’t find many other planets like this. Also, from above the base looks like it is still in ruin. We decided to not fix it, you know, to make the enemy think that maybe we didn’t stay here. I don’t think they know how extensive it has grown in the past few months.” Poe then stretched his arms out wide. “It’s getting so deep, Rey!”

Her eyebrows raised in amusement.

“Oh,” Poe added. “And this is the base that whooped their ass the first time. It’s a psychological thing.”

He looked down at her to notice a big silly smile pulling across her face.

Poe chuckled and stretched his arm as they continued their walk.

“Besides that there isn’t much good news, which is why you were summoned here.”

“Oh?” Concerned, Rey turned her head to look at Poe. He lowered his head as his posture sunk.

“Well, to put it bluntly, Kylo Ren’s fleet has destroyed many of our neighboring Resistance bases, even ones that are almost impossible to find. We don’t know how he is locating them, but we think the First Order has turned their funds to paying spies or something of the like. Finn, Leia and I have even discussed the possibility of the First Order somehow paying off insecure members of the Resistance to give up information.”

Rey’s eyebrows rose. “Why haven’t they come back here to finish the job? Kylo Ren must know about the reformation of the base.”

Poe threw his right arm over his left shoulder and stretched it. “I don’t know. My guess is that he has some sick and twisted plan just for us. Or maybe he’s going to try and kill us slowly by cutting off our access to merchants and fuel.”

“Or perhaps he just wants to leave us alone? I mean his mother lives here and –“

Poe cut Rey off. “Are you serious? Listen to yourself! That guy – that machine – killed his own father! You saw it with your own eyes, Rey! What makes you think that he wouldn’t come after his mother? Besides, I’ve heard rumors that he hates her the most. He blames her for what _he_ chose to become.”

Rey’s head looked down at the ground as they walked.

“It’s because of him, actually, that you were summoned here.” Poe said in a somber tone.

“What? What do you mean?” Her chest fluttered for a brief instance as she recalled the moment he offered to teach her the ways of the force. Rey picked up her chin and looked over to Poe.

“What I mean is that he has been the root of a lot of setbacks – major setbacks - recently. We have no reason to think that his attacks will stop.”

“But what does that have to do with me?” She asked with one eyebrow raised.

“Us Resistance members here at D'Qar and the remaining neighboring bases are in constant fear for our lives. We just don’t know when that guy is going to come back. That is why the Resistance, actually, primarily Major Ematt, wanted to call you back despite leaving your training with Luke prematurely.”

Rey threw her head back in frustration and ran her hands through her hair. “I get all that. You just haven’t answered what I have to do with it! What does Major Ematt need me for? He pulled me away from Master Luke for what?” Her eyes dug into Poe’s. His nose twitched and he blinked.

“Why are you hesitating, Poe? You’re starting to worry me.”

“Rey, there is no easy way to say it. I will tell you upfront the man is crazy, but, desperate times call for desperate measures.”

Her brow raised in an expression of curiosity and nervousness. “Just spit it out.”

Poe took in a deep breath and let it go. “Major Ematt has formulated a plan that involves you infiltrating the First Order and stalling Kylo Ren...even if that means killing him.”

Rey nearly tripped over her own feet. “What?!”

Poe swung out an arm to help stabilize her. “I know it’s crazy! I told you it’s crazy! But I’ve heard it, Rey. I’ve heard the details and it sounds solid.” Rey grabbed on to Poe and pulled him towards her. She grabbed his shirt in her fist and pulled him in closer.”Is this a damn suicide mission?!” She yelled.

Poe turned his face away from Rey to avoid her roar.”No, actually. Not at all.” He peeked open an eye. “I don’t want to give away too much information just yet. And, as part of the plan, we can’t give you too many details regarding your rescue, you know, just in case one of those freaks does that mind probe shit again!” He opened both of his eyes to see Rey glaring straight at him.

“Remember Poe,” Rey threatened in a low tone, “I’m one of those ‘freaks’ now.” She pushed him away from her.

Poe’s face softened into a frown. “Rey, I didn’t mean it like that.” He looked over at her. She glanced away.

”You’re nothing like them…like Kylo Ren.”

 _Kylo…_ His name suddenly triggering something in her mind. She saw his face again on that day, his skin red from their battle in the cold, his breath rising from his lips, the glow of his light saber on his eyes as they pierced her soul. _“You need a teacher!”_ Her face grew warm. _… His eyes…that look of desperation…why do I desire that…I should be disgusted and yet…_ _“I can show you the ways of the force!”_ Rey felt her face blush. _Kylo…_

“REY!” Poe jolted Rey out of her daydream. “Sorry, but you’ve been walking like that for a while now in total bewilderment. I wasn’t sure if you were okay or not. Besides, we are just about here at the entrance to the headquarters. I’ll show you to your room.” He cracked a slight smile and gently gave her a punch on the arm.

Rey’s expression remained unmoving. She didn’t react to Poe’s playfulness. Instead she stood silent, her eyes fixed on some unknown point on the ground.

“Tell me what you know of the plan while we walk.” She demanded.

Poe let out a sigh. He nodded. “Will do.” He took her by the shoulder and led her into the base.

-

_Sometime later in the headquarter conference room…_

_Five members – Rey, Poe, Finn, Leia and Ematt - sit at a round table. Ematt’s sits at a platform above the other’s._ “Do you understand why we have selected you, young apprentice?” questioned Ematt.

Rey looked up at him. Her face looked very serious. “Somewhat.” She exhaled through her nostrils. “I understand the point of the mission – to stall Kylo Ren and the activities of the First Order long enough for Leia to complete her special mission involving rallying our allies from our sister bases on the far, far side of the galaxy…the details of which I am not privy.”

Ematt slowly gave a nod. “Correct.” His chair squeaked as he leaned forward peering at Rey. “But you are missing a crucial point. You have failed to realize why it _has_ to be you, Rey.”

Rey cocked her head slightly to the side in contemplation. Ematt noticed her befuddlement and explained.

“You are the only person that can get close to Kylo Ren because of his offer to you.”

Rey’s eyes grew a bit wider. Her mouth hung vaguely open.

“That is your ticket in – and the only shot we have in succeeding with having someone able to access their crucial information in order to relay it back here. If you can do that – gain their trust – we will be able to maneuver our plans around theirs. We will gain a great advantage. Countless lives will be saved from your act of selflessness, Rey.”

She tilted her head and crossed her arms. “Poe mentioned the possibility of me taking out Kylo Ren. Is this part of the plan?” She could suddenly feel a wave of sadness and desperation flow forth from Leia.

“No. However, if you find yourself stuck in a dire predicament and feel that ending Kylo Ren is your only option, your actions will be pardoned.” Ematt explained.

The wave of pain and despair burst through Rey again like a second heartbeat. She glanced over at Leia. Leia sat cross legged and cross armed in her chair staring off into a far corner of the room. She wanted no part in the conversation about killing her son.

Rey slowly closed her eyes and swallowed. She rubbed her finger on the table. “And what if I succumb to the darkness? What if I’m not strong enough to resist?” Her voice shook.

A chair pushed out and all attention turned to it. Leia stood bent over on the table facing Rey, her hands folded tightly.

“You have my word, Rey, we will – I will – not let them take you.” Her eyes shimmered and moved back and forth as they peered deeply at Rey. “I will not let another child succumb to the darkness so long as I can help it.”

Rey and Leia stared into each other’s eyes for what seemed like minutes.

Rey’s lip twinged. “You promise not to abandon me. You will come for me?”

Poe chimed in. “You know it. Even if I have to fly my X-Wing across the entire damn galaxy…”

“And even if that means revisiting the First Order and taking out whoever stands in my way,” Finn added.

Rey smiled and tears formed in her eyes. She dabbed at them using the corner of her shirt.

Ematt leaned forward almost to the very edge of his chair.

“So,” his sight locked onto Rey. "Will you accept this mission?”

Rey sat silent and still in her chair. She raised her hand to cover her mouth as tears slipped down her cheeks. She licked her lips and let out a quivering sigh.

“Yes, Major.” She wiped her mouth and nose with her sleeve and then looked up at him. Her expression became controlled and serious.

“ I accept the mission.”

A wave of tension seemed to have suddenly disappeared from the room. Finn and Poe rose from their seats and walked over to where Rey sat. They leaned in to her, patting her back and offering her comfort and reassurance. Ematt made his way over as well. He gripped her shoulder tightly and leaned in close to her face.

“Everything you have agreed to, Rey…” He paused and looked her in the eyes. “…Is for the greater good.”

-

_That very night... In Rey's quarter..._

Soft whimpers and the sound of rustling could be heard emanating from Rey's room.

She lay there in her bed, tossing and turning within her sheets. Sweat beaded on her forehead.

_Rey found herself in a dark void with only her and Kylo Ren present. He stood there in front of her, decorated in his black attire and mask, looking straight at her. "You came back to me." Kylo's mechanical voice softly escaped._

Rey just stood there with her hands at her sides. She looked at him.

His head tilted ever so slightly. "You have no idea how long I've waited."

He began to step towards her, his boots making thuds as he advanced.

Rey couldn't - no - didn't desire to move. She met his gaze as he stopped in front of her.

His arms rose and gently gripped her shoulders. His mask looked down at her.

Rey felt a blush starting to form on her cheeks. She looked away.

"Oh...Rey..." he said ever so gently.

His right hand glided delicately under her chin and lifted her face causing her lips to brush against his mask.

Her eyes rose to his visor. They moved side to side trying to gaze through it.

"Don't be ashamed," said mechanical voice. Kylo's arms retreated to the sides of his mask.

With a hiss he slid off the mask, his hair dropping in all directions onto his shoulders.

He tucked it under one arm and wrapped the other around Rey's waist. He sweeped her up against his body.

Rey let out a faint gasp as she collided into him.

Her entire being began to heat up, her face flushed a crimson red.

She could feel the warmth emanating from his body.

She could smell his scent.

She could feel his muscles around her.

Kylo pulled the back of her neck into his chest. He lowered his lips to her ear.

"Don't fight it," Kylo spoke gently. He pressed his forehead onto hers.

He let go of the helmet to caress her face between his gloves.

It hit the floor with a thud and a crack.

Rey's heart beat like a drum. She could feel Kylo's breath on her face, his lips only millimeters away from hers.

She lifted her hand and touched his cheek. It was soft and feverishly hot, just like hers.

Kylo closed his eyes for a brief moment relishing her touch.

With his eyes still closed he pushed his lips closer to Rey's. A whimper escaped his throat as she met his lips half way.

"Rey..."

He kissed her harder, pulling the back of her head in closer.

Rey's arms wrapped around his neck. She breathed forth tiny moans as he began kissing her more feverishly.

"Rey... I can't help it...I can't help this..."

His body pushed up against hers and she could feel his stiffness on her thigh.

He scooped her up and placed her on to something soft.

"Kylo..." Rey could barely speak. Her emotions ran rampant. Her mind raced. She felt her judgement give way to her desire for him.

"Rey..." His entire upper body loomed over her, his hair like a curtain around his face.

"Become one with me."

He pushed himself between her legs, grinding himself against her thin pants. She could feel her own wetness push against her.

Rey moaned rather loudly, but the moan suddenly shifted to a whimpering gasp as his hand made it's way up her shirt and onto her breast.

His fingers crept through the underparts of her bra and onto the skin of her breast.

He slid his hand farther until he reached her soft nipple, to which he rubbed gently under his finger.

Rey's head tilted back in pleasure. Her mouth opened into a smile as he fulfilled her desire.

Her hand crept down his side, hips, and onto his crotch. It felt strong and warm.

Without warning, Kylo seized her hand and brought it above her head.

He looked down at her with a serious expression as if she had committed a crime.

He retreated his hand from her breast and used it to hold her arm above her head.

His other hand rose to his mouth. Using his teeth, Kylo pulled off his glove and spat it somewhere to the ground.

He slowly brushed his hand down her stomach...down...lower and lower...

Rey closed her eyes and grimaced as she felt his warm hand penetrate her pants and slide down even further...

"Kylo..."

He rubbed against her opening with two fingers. She breathed heavily.

"Look at me," he ordered.

Rey couldn't. She was too shy. She couldn't look at him while he was...

He rubbed her more rhythmically. "Look at me," he commanded more pointedly, but still with an air of gentleness.

It took every fiber of her being to choke down her feelings of shame and look him in the eyes.

His expression turned stoic as he looked deeply into her. His mouth parted without his realization.

Rey's chin lifted as he pressed two fingers to her opening.

He carefully pushed one finger knuckle deep into her and stopped. Rey's body writhed and she grit her teeth.

"So..." Kylo tilted his head as he gazed into her. "You are a virgin."

Her head automatically turned away in embarrassment.

"It's okay," he said passionately. "I won't hurt you...I'd never hurt you."

"Now... look at me."

Rey rolled her head back towards kylo and slowly opened her eyes.

He resumed that stoic stare, his eyes penetrating her soul.

He continued rubbing his finger inside her, this time up to his hand knuckle. He continued this for several minutes until Rey seemed completely void of anything but his touch.

Then, Rey felt another finger work its way knuckle deep inside her.

She let out a painful moan and grimaced again, grabbing his wrist with her free hand.

Rey watched his face as he worked his fingers inside her, his expression unchanging, but his eyes ablaze with desire.

She felt him rub along the inside of her over and over and over again until she couldn't take it any more.

A loud yell made its way out of her throat as her body began convulsing. Kylo loosened his grip and she grabbed his wrist with her other hand, but this didn't stop him.

Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her hips jumped and shook with pleasure she never knew exist.

"Kylo!...Ohhh... Please...Don't stop!" she uncontrollably blurted out.

He continued to ravish her until every drop of her became spent.

He pulled out his fingers and took in his work.

Her body lay there spread out, the area between her legs soaked. She panted.

"Rey..." Kylo called to her. She was too exhausted to look at him.

"Rey..." He called to her again.

She mustered the strength to push herself up to look at him.

Kylo held a mirror to her.

Rey looked into it.

A bloodcurdling scream exploded from her throat.

There, in the mirror, rested Kylo Ren's mask over her face.

Rey awoke startled, her heart pounding. She threw off the covers and swung her legs onto the floor. She reached for the glass of water next to her bed and swallowed it down in several gulps.

Rey bent over. She rubbed the balls of her palms over her eyes, horrified at what she had just experienced. For months now her sleep has been stricken with intense dreams of the darkness. They began shortly after her battle with Kylo Ren on Starkiller base. 

At first the dreams were sporadic and subtle. Their nature was rather vague and Rey chocked it up to be nothing more than her mind trying to recuperate from the intense emotions she had felt on that fateful day. She was used to her mind generating unpleasant dreams. It's not like she got much sleep prior to these new images in her head at night. There were always the tourmenting memories of being abandoned on Jakku that came out during her most vulnerable hour. At first they terrified her, waking her up in a fit of tears for as long as she could recall. And then one day, without explanation, she found herself able to stay asleep without waking up feeling like her soul had been wrenched from her chest. No, the nightmares didn't change, but it appeared that something in Rey had. Whether it was a sudden burst of hope or she had silently crumbled into her despair without knowing, either didn't matter to Rey. All that mattered is that she was able to sleep again, even if it was just for a few hours. 

But as days passed the nightmares began to bore a deeper hole through her psyche. They progressively became more vivid, more physical, more memorable. What started as brief glimpses of unrecognizable shadows and voices developed into full-blown scenes of touch, taste, sound and smell. The peculiar thing about these dreams were that they didn't feel entirely like dreams to Rey. She felt like something - or someone - was fabricating them inside her own head as if she were an unknowing host to a parasite. As horrifying and intense as the dreams were they did not seem necessarily evil in nature, but rather foreboding. All she could do was analyze them, but usually to no avail. The dreams have gotten so bewildering that she had stopped trying.

"These dreams..." she whispered as she sniffled and wiped the wetness off her nose. "They have got to stop..." She sat there, slumped over on the edge of her bed, head in her hands, for the rest of the night. 


	2. Look Before You Leap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We find out that Kylo is having some strange dreams as well. Hux enters the scene and we get our first glimpse of the First Order's new plan for power. Rey reviews her part of the mission with Leia and the others before taking the plunge into enemy territory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Two is completed! If you haven't already noticed, the title to CH2 has been changed. I changed it because all of the information presented in this chapter became more lengthy than originally planned. I thought that I would be able to fit the background information and Rey's entrance onto the Finalizer in one chapter, but it didn't work out that way. So, expect CH3 to be the start of all the good stuff...and the eventual trash, which, by the way, I will probably be having to change the rating from M to E in then near future. Anyway, I apologize for a kind of boring chapter. I promise there are good things to come in CH3!  
> (Still being proof read.)

_Kylo Ren finds himself drifting aimlessly in a vast expanse of dim, shifting light.  His eyes are shut as he tenderly floats through this place. After what seems like hours of drifting he opens his eyes and wills himself to a halt. He pauses as he takes a minute to collect himself, standing on his feet._

_“This place again,” he says flatly._

_Kylo glanced down at his side. He reached out his hand and placed it over his lightsaber. The back of his neck tingled. He sensed a presence behind him._

_“I know you’re there,” he unlatched the saber from his belt._

_Silence._

_Without turning around to look at the recipient of his conversation he continued._

_“Your efforts were in vain.” His grip on the lightsaber tightened. “I have triumphed over the light. It fell away with you, father.”He lowered the saber pointing it towards his feet and ignited it. An electric red glow reflected off his eyes and clothes. “Why you persist here, in this strange place, is pitiful and no longer amusing.” He glanced over his shoulder._

_Han Solo stood only feet behind Kylo, arms at his sides looking keenly at his son. His eyes had an expression of gentleness as he smiled softly at Kylo. He never spoke._

_Kylo’s brow ruffled. He was used to this dream. He’s been having it for weeks now, and it always plays out the same. Tonight, though, he was going to change that._

_“The light is gone, so also be gone with you!” Kylo exhaled through his nostrils. Without a moment’s hesitation he suddenly let out a warrior’s yell as he twisted around like lightning, swinging the entire length of his lightsaber at Han._

_Han took the full strike of the weapon, falling to the ground with a heavy thud, his torso nearly torn in two. A piece of his arm dangled loosely from a single strip of skin left intact. Blood was speckled and thrown across his clothes and seeped rapidly from the areas of flesh that were not instantly cauterized from the intense heat of the saber. The light in Han’s eyes grew fainter as he lay on the ground coughing and vomiting._

_Kylo felt a jab of pain pierce through his chest seeing his father like this._

_Han wiggled his undamaged arm from under his body to push himself into a position where he could face Kylo. His elbow slipped on his own blood and he fell hard on his ribs. He yelled in excruciating pain; the pressure of the fall pushed out some of his innards that had been resting behind the gaping laceration. A mouthful of bloody vomit bubbled up his throat and escaped down his chin. He closed his eyes hard as if drawing up the last of his strength. Again, Han pushed himself to face Kylo. Kylo eyed his father, his face fierce and hard, struggling to hide his emotions._

_Han struggled to lift his eyes to his son. His head shook terribly, his mouth red with blood as he gave Kylo his last smile. “I love you.” He mouthed._

_Kylo scrunched his mouth and the muscles in his jaw tightened. He began to sweat and shake._

_“No…” He whispered in a shaky voice. “No..no, no no!” Kylo shouted, his voice cracking as he kicked Han across the ground. “You will not tempt me again!” With the lightsaber he slashed at Han’s body frantically._

_“You will not undo what I have done!” Kylo’s face became freckled with Han’s blood as he chopped his father into pieces._

_“I will never feel the light, father! I will never let it seduce me again!” Kylo shouted, his voice becoming hoarse. His wild outburst drew to a stop. He retracted his lightsaber and fell to his knees panting._

_“The light is gone.” He said with an air of relief. For a few minutes he knelt there contemplating his victory and catching his breath. “The light is gone…gone…” He reassured himself._

_A Hand placed itself on his right shoulder. Kylo nearly jumped out of his boots. He flung himself around so quickly that he lost balance and fell backwards onto his butt. A body of a female figure stood there before him, glowing with a faint golden mist. She seemed to be made of flesh and light interchangeably. Her long, soft arm extended to him, palm open ready to accept his hand._

_“But I’m right here.” The woman of light spoke with a pleasant yet powerful voice. Kylo paused to control his trembling so that he could get a better look at this angelic creature._

_Without needing a second look he immediately recognized this apparition as the scavenger girl. There she stood in a glorious golden glow radiating light and warmth. This warmth and light passed through him in gentle waves like the wind on a midsummer’s day. His chest expanded as his lungs seemed to almost breathe in the mist._

_Kylo angrily flung his arm in front of his chest trying to whisk away the golden waves emanating towards and through him._

_“Get away from me!” He growled with a deep, primal tone._

_The angelic scavenger girl stepped closer. Kylo scurried backwards on his hands and feet. His boot stepped on his cape, causing it to rip and himself to falter to the ground once more. His fingers swung across his waist, fumbling for his lightsaber._

_“Oh no,” the girl spoke as her head tilted down to smile at him with tender eyes. “You’re always resorting to violence.” She lifted her arm straight out at Kylo and opened her fingers towards him._

_Instantly Kylo felt himself becoming heavy and unable to move. The light and warmth emanating from the girl assaulted his being, brushing through his body and penetrating down to his closely guarded emotions. His body felt as if it were being supported by one-thousand gentle, caring hands._

_Touch._

_A basic human need that was more than neglected in Kylo. Whenever someone were to place a hand on his shoulder or even accidently brush up against him, they were met with a powerful blow of anger. It stands unclear whether he actually detested touch, or if he craved it so passionately that it becomes an obvious weakness which must be concealed._

_The golden scavenger knelt beside Kylo. Frozen, his eyes, widening and shifting, followed up to meet hers. Sweat pooled at the corners of his brow and began to slip down his temple and onto his jaw. The girl passed her hand over his head and used the back of her lovely wrist to wipe away his sweat. Her head tilted and she gazed into his eyes with an expression of affection and concern._

_“How long will you run, Ben?”_

_Kylo’s face twitched and contorted in anger. His eyes shot like lethal daggers into hers. If he could gather together his force to speak he would have cursed her for using that name._

_Their eyes locked. Kylo’s lethal glare twinged and faltered as he ventured deeper into the scavenger’s gaze. The muscles in his face began to slowly relax. The girl noticed this and a fond smile grew on her lips. For a moment, he was lost in her beautiful, soft eyes. For a moment, he felt his pain slipping away._

_Kylo caught himself faltering and immediately began to fight. Groans from his struggle rang out like a child having a tantrum._

_“Don’t fight it. Don’t fight your light.” The gentle voice spoke._

_Arms wrapped around Kylo’s neck and shoulders._

_His eyes popped open wide. A flood of emotions hit him at once. He struggled, but to no avail. The emotions kept pouring in like a gaping hole in the belly of a battleship. Kylo grit his teeth. His face scrunched and his face turned red. Water formed in his eyes blurring his vision._

_The embrace tightened. It felt so warm._

_The girl in the golden light released Kylo from the force hold. His head dropped to her shoulder like a bag of bricks. He buried his head in the nape of her neck. A mighty bellow released from his throat and he began sobbing uncontrollably like a child with excessive burden._

_“They wouldn’t take me back.” Kylo managed to push out between sobs. “It’s over for me. There is no undoing my steps, my choices…” His voice trailed off._

_A hand brushed up against his swollen cheek wiping his tears._

_“The force works in mysterious ways.” Said the scavenger. She leaned in gently and kissed him on the side of his mouth._

_Kylo’s heart suddenly awoke with a tingling jolt. He pulled his head back to look at her._

_With tender eyes she looked back at him. He took the opportunity to examine her face, every curve, every color. His hands took her by her shoulders and brought her back from him._

_“Who are you?” Kylo asked with a sense of desperation._

_The scavenger closed her eyes and smiled._

_“I am your light.”_

Kylo’s eyes opened slowly. His vision blurred, but as he came to he found himself in his bed looking up at the ceiling oculus.  It was dark, almost pitch black all around except for the soft light filtering down from the stars above. With one arm he pulled aside his cover so that his body could get fresh air. He lay there in a tight black pair of pants that traveled the length of his calf. His chest was bare. At night, in his bed, he didn’t wear much. The heat his body produced could be comparable to a space heater at times. Compiled with waking up from sweat inducing nightmares was sometimes unbearable. He lifted his arm to run his fingers through his hair then rub his face.

For a few moments he contemplated the dream. As an experienced force user he could tell this was no ordinary dream, especially because of its many reoccurrences. But this time was different. This time that girl showed up. Not only did she show up, but somehow overpowered him using the light!

Kylo scoffed. “It means nothing to me.” He said to himself.

Kylo often talked to himself out loud while in the privacy of his own room. There was something about the sound of a voice, though be it his, that made him feel not-so alone.

He slid off the bed and headed into the fresher to relieve himself.

\--

_Inside a large crescent-shaped control room on the Finalizer…_

General Hux stood stiff in the center platform wearing his usual taut expression as he observed the bustling work of the crew. With his gloved hands held behind his back, he started off the platform and proceeded to circulate the room. The workers were always uneasy of his company, not knowing whether they should acknowledge his presence as he brushed past or pretend to be completely engrossed in their work. Most of the men and women choose the latter, especially after the events at Starkiller Base left him with an evident scar that traveled along the right side of his face beginning at his temple and making its way down to his collarbone.

Hux had always taken immense pride in his appearance knowing that image is half the battle. He had worked for so long to develop and maintain his military stature and wry quality. He was never considered a tall man and certainly not a muscular one at that. His body was naturally thin-framed and his skin very pale. The red of his hair and piercing blue eyes broadcasted to the galaxy his recessive-gene characteristics. Hux had to deal with this disgraceful “recessive” body that the Makers had given him. Why couldn’t he have been born with a body that matched how he felt on the inside? All of his life he had to deal with his body holding him back from proving his true potential. Those shallow leaders hungry for power…They were always getting caught up in his delicate, meek appearance.

A control panel officer stationed in his seat swallowed hard as he noticed general Hux making his way over to his spot. He kept his eyes on the data on his screen. Sweat began to mist his forehead as he heard Hux’s boots click to a halt behind his chair. The officer wasn’t always this uneasy around the general, but ever since he acquired that nasty scar, his temper has rivaled that of Kylo Ren.

“Officer, has the signal been reestablished?” Hux questioned.

“No sir.” The officer swiveled his chair to face Hux. He pointed at the screen to a radar image of a planet. “The location of the excavation squad is currently experiencing a severe storm. From our initial analysis of the planet, it seems to have regular cycles of turbulent rainstorms. According to my data, sir, this one won’t be over for another two hours.”

Hux’s eyes fixed on the screen for an additional few seconds before he spoke.

“Very well. Continue radar analysis and inform me as soon as we have contact.” Hux spun on his heel and proceeded to another station. Midway through his walk the entrance to the control room parted and several storm troopers entered. The troopers moved to the side and parted to make way for a special entrance.

 Kylo, the dark Knight of Ren, made his way through the storm troopers. He donned the black helmet and his long cape whisked in the air from his stride. The entrance slid shut behind him. Kylo stopped a few yards in from the door.

Hux paused his gate and glanced over at Kylo Ren. His expression morphed to a glowering stare. He wanted so badly to spit a snarky remark, but his reputation held fast in front of all his officers.

“Master of the Knights of Ren.” Hux sneered.

“General.” Kylo regarded him abrasively

The two stared each down for a few seconds.

“The Supreme Leader has requested that you join me in his presence immediately.” Kylo said without moving a muscle.

 He could see a glimmer of pleasure perk up in Hux’s face. During the past couple of weeks, Hux, for some reason unknown to Kylo, began enjoying his meetings with the enormous holographic image of his precious leader. In the past Hux had quivered with hints of fear at their meetings. Especially the first few after the massive destruction of his long-awaited super weapon; Snoke had nearly killed the man in a burst of searing anger that only a Sith master could deliver, even from some foreign point in the galaxy. But now, Kylo could feel thin slivers of excitement shoot up from deep within Hux’s stomach whenever he would be summoned. This made Kylo suspicious.

Hux quickly bit his bottom lip. He took in a deep breath. “I expect everyone at their stations when I return. I will not tolerate weak links. Notify me immediately once the connection has been reestablished.” With that he marched towards Kylo, brushing past him as if he were just another storm trooper and continued out of the control room and into the halls of the Finalizer. Kylo grabbed his cape with one hand and twisted it with his body as he turned to follow Hux.

\--

_Inside a tall, cathedral-like room with a colossal chair centered at the back…_

A holographic image of Snoke sat impatiently in the massive steel chair positioned at the end of a long walkway. The leader’s eyes fixed anxiously on the tall double-door at the far opposite end of the walkway.  The room was dark, gray and dust particles wafted in the air. A single round cathedral rose-window rested on the back wall above Snoke’s head, allowing a single hazy beam of light to enter the room. The ambient beam traveled at an angle past the leader’s shoulder and crashed into the center of the long walkway.

The air in the room moved as the double-doors clinked open. Kylo Ren and Hux immediately entered, side-by-side into the long, narrow walkway leading to Snoke. The guards stationed outside shut the doors behind the two men with a loud, echoing slam. They walked briskly towards their supreme leader, knowing all too well the level of his impatience.

Once they were at the base of his alter-like chair, they each bowed in respect.

“General.” The mighty voice of Snoke boomed. Hux flinched at the sudden volume. “What is the progress of the excavation?”

“The squadron has been landed for twelve hours. Their initial messages relayed that their landing was successful and that the area was clear of any life forms. The latest message received informed us that they were beginning to drill on top of the coordinates that the lesser beings of our previous mission had given us.” Hux stiffened and looked straight up at Snoke.

“Have they found what the villagers claimed to be there?” Snoke questioned.

“Not yet, Supreme Leader. The planet is unstable and plagued by turbulent storms producing unimaginable amounts of rain in only a matter of hours. However, my team was able to conclude that these storms come and go in predictable cycles of approximately two to three hours. During the storms the signal becomes lost and we cannot communicate with the squad below. Since the excavation team began drilling, we have not been able to reestablish a connection. However, my men are working to do just that as we speak, your greatness.”

The Supreme Leader leaned back in his chair. “Very well. If the squadron finds what they came to look for, proceed with the mission. However…” Snoke’s voice growled as he leaned forward looking down at Hux. “If those animals lied to us, we will have to pay them another visit.”

“Understood, Supreme Leader.” Hux saluted.

While still bent forward, Snoke turned his body to face Kylo.

“And you, Master of the Knights of Ren, will continue your training under my guidance. Soon, we will eradicate the light within you completely. Then, and only then, will I consider completing your training and donning you with the title ‘Sith Master’.”

Kylo tried to hide the twitch that his eye made when Snoke mentioned a light within him. He had tried so hard to hide it from Snoke, not because he was trying to allow the light to persuade him, but because he wanted Snoke to feel that he was strong and could handle his own struggle. Since he became the Supreme Leader’s apprentice he had struggled with the pesky light bubbling up from inside of him, speaking to his inner mind, trying to pull him to do the ‘right’ thing. Sometimes, the light would manifest itself so strongly that he would have to do some outrageous act of darkness just to squash the temptation. It was as if his body and mind were programmed to belong to the light, but the circumstances of his life were destined to oppose this. Every time Snoke mentioned the light within him he wanted to scream. How could he prove to Snoke that he wouldn’t end up like Darth Vader? How could he prove to him that he had denied his birth as Ben Solo and recognized only the darkness as his true sovereign? It seemed like no matter how hard he battled the light, it kept rearing its head, and Snoke knew this.

“I will always deny it, my lord, and with your guidance I will destroy every vile thought of the light within me.” Kylo bowed again.

Snoke eased himself back into his chair. He looked pleased.

“General, return to your station.” Snoke commanded.

“Yes, my lord.” Hux bowed, turned and immediately headed to exit the holy sanctuary.

The double doors opened and slammed shut. Hux was gone. Snoke’s expression changed to a quizzical yet serious demeanor.

“Have you felt it, Kylo Ren?” Snoke asked in a low tone.

Kylo raised his head to look at Snoke and bit his lip under his helmet. He knew what- or _who_ – Snoke was referring to, but he wasn’t sure how to answer. If he answered “no”, then Snoke may assume that his abilities as a force user were lesser than he thought. However, if he answered “yes”, Snoke would have no doubt that a bond had formed between him and the scavenger girl. Kylo was very adept in sensing force signatures, especially of those with higher force sensitivity. But his sense only went so far, especially for someone he only met once. Snoke, however, the Supreme Leader of Darkness, was much more experienced and attuned to sensing shifts in the force no matter how far the distance. Kylo decided to answer honestly.

“Yes, I have sensed it.” Kylo’s electronic voice said solemnly.

“She is struggling. The scavenger girl who slipped through our fingers…” Snoke’s booming voice raised in volume. He bobbed his head down to look at Kylo Ren. A sly, almost amused expression crept over his mangled face.

“Do you know my, apprentice?...Have you a vision?”

Kylo bit his lip hard. This was a test that he had certainly failed. “I have not, my lord.”

Snoke’s chin raised and his brow perked up. “The darkness has shown me a vision. The girl will return to us, a lost sheep looking for her flock.”

Kylo fell back onto one foot and his head tilted to the side in astonishment. He was at a loss for words. One-hundred thoughts swirled around his head all at once.

“Supreme Leader, surely she will return to us as a spy for the resistance? She is strong in the force and has probably sought tutelage from Luke Skywalker during the time we lost her. Her ability to lock her mind from our attempts to search her is probably extraordinary by now.” Kylo said with a tone of desperation. He wasn’t sure what he was feeling. The news of possibly seeing the girl again conjured up unfamiliar feelings within him.

“Rest easy, Kylo Ren. No matter the reason, fate has it that she will find her way here. The dark forces never lie.” Snoke moved his head in a circle as to crack his stiff neck. He smirked. “I can sense her struggle. She has been fighting the darkness inside of her for some time now, and I don’t believe she has the strength to keep it at bay for much longer.” Snoke paused. “She uses the force to hide it, not realizing that it only _feeds_ the seed of darkness growing within her.”

Kylo raised his hand out in a questioning gesture. “What shall we do?”

Snoke let out a deep chuckle. The room echoed. “We wait, my apprentice. Like a spider for the inevitable fly.” His nostrils let out air. “And when she comes, you will bring her to me.” His voice boomed.

“As you wish my lord, but, what will you do with her, if I may inquire?”

“I will enter her body and mind looking for potential. If the girl passes my assessment, _you_ will be her teacher.” Snoke’s brow scrunched as he peered intently at Kylo Ren waiting for his reaction.

The space went completely silent. The two lords of darkness remained in a deep stare. Kylo was trying hard to hide his conflicting emotions from Snoke. Back on Starkiller Base, he had offered to show the scavenger the ways of the force. He had secretly admired her aptitude to harness her newfound abilities in such a short amount of time. In fact, he admired more than just her force sensitivity.  From the moment he found her in the forest on Takonada he was taken aback by her hardened beauty. Up until that point in his life, he had never felt such a strong, sudden attraction to a female. And after he was able to get into her head, he felt all the more fascinated. Of course, he found these feelings shameful, weak and treacherous. It took him all the strength he could muster to push aside his feelings and focus on his mission at hand. However, when he had cornered her at the edge of the forest on the crumbling planet, his feelings slipped. He could have just pushed her to her doom, but he didn’t – he couldn’t let such an enigma go to waste. Somewhere in the back of his mind, deep within his thoughts, he wanted so badly to snatch her up and take her to the First Order as his prisoner. He wanted her by his side willing or not. He wanted her, period. But in that moment, he would not be able to simply snatch her up and whisk her away like he had done previously. No, they were in a deadly stalemate and the best he could do was offer her a teacher, hoping she would willingly come with him. After her second escape, Kylo nearly died from the beating he unleashed onto himself. He swore that he would never let himself succumb to such petty compulsions of weakness again. And then the dreams started…

Slowly, Kylo brought his arm to his chest and bowed. His head passed into the beam of light concentrated on the floor.

“I am your humble apprentice. I will do as you see fit, my Supreme Leader and Master.”

Snoke remained silent. He regarded Kylo’s cooperation with a pleased nod.

\--

_Back on D’Qar at the Resistance headquarter…_

Leia, Ematt, Finn, Poe and Rey sat at a semi-circular table, the same table they had conferred when the plan was pitched to Rey. A singular round light nestled in the center of the ceiling illuminated the room with a hazy, off-white glow. Rey sat at the center of the table, the point of everyone’s focus.

Ematt let out a heavy grunt as he pushed back into his chair. He had grown quite old and his bones couldn’t sustain one position for very long. “It seems that our meeting is drawing to an end. Rey, I believe you have a firm understanding of your role in this mission. Will you please repeat what is expected of you once more? I want to make sure that you have this down thoroughly.”

Rey took a few moments to reflect on all of the information she had been given over the past day. She let out a sigh and almost rolled her eyes but caught herself. This is the third time that Ematt had asked her to recite the plan. Rey started to wonder if he was developing Alzheimer’s disease or if he was overly scrupulous to a maddening level.

“I will begin by sealing away specific information regarding the Resistance. Using a special meditation technique that Master Luke had taught me, I will bury the information so deep within the labyrinth of my mind that even I will undergo amnesia of it. Therefore, even if they try extracting my thoughts by force, they will come up empty. Only another force user, in this case Master Luke or Leia, will be able to unlock the buried information once the mission is over.”

Rey tapped her fingers on the table. “Then, once I am inside the Finalizer, I will feed them the bullshit about wanting to accept Kylo Ren’s offer. I will gain their trust by presenting them with the map of Luke Skywalker’s location.”

“And?” Leia’s voice rose and her eyebrows perked upward.

“And,” Rey continued, “After Master Luke has been extracted from Ahch-To and debriefed, you, Poe and Finn will rally Resistance members from planets and locations of which I am not privy, for safety precautions.”

“What else, Rey? Do you remember what I disclosed to you?” Finn chimed in.

Rey began speed talking to get through the monotonous drill. She flung her hands in the air as she spoke. “Before I leave I will be equipped with a micro one-way communicator that transmits data back to headquarters using a unique low-frequency wave that is undetectable to First Order equipment. Only the Resistance will know its frequency, and only we have the receiver. The communicator will track my whereabouts and allow me to make brief voice recordings. It’s material is virtually undetectable to most body scanners and I will hide it in my cheek upon my initial encounter with the First Order.”   

A goofy smile grew on Finn’s face. “Aren’t you glad to have a traitorous guy like me working for you?” He winked at Rey.

“You could always come with me Finn.” Rey joked. “I bet they would welcome their best sanitation worker back with open arms.” Her voice cracked with laughter.

“Alright, alright. Let’s stay on track.” Poe’s masculine voice interrupted their horseplay. He turned to look at Rey. “Are you confident in your ability to think on your toes? Once inside the First Order…you must assess your situation and decide on the best course of action to take in order to buy us the time and information we need.” His eyebrows raised in a quizzical expression. “I may be the best pilot in the galaxy, but there is only so much I can do to save your ass if you fail.”

Rey’s heart started to race over the thought of her actually being alone on the Finalizer surrounded by the enemy. What if someone uncovered her deceit? What if she was exposed?  What if she slipped up, or actually found herself in a situation where she had no choice but to kill Kylo Ren? Her heart skipped a beat thinking of him, or perhaps, imagining how hard it would be for her to kill him. Even after all of the horrific and inhuman acts he committed, Rey couldn’t help but sense a light within him. She saw it _and_ felt it that day on Starkiller Base. She felt it during Kylo’s struggle with his father, right before Han was stabbed and cast down a shaft like a piece of trash. And she felt it when his eyes met hers in their duel at the moment he offered to show her the ways of the force. Him, Kylo Ren, apprentice of the dark arts, lord of avarice and power, offering her, the lowly scavenger girl a place in the world…a purpose.

 In all of her years living as a thrifty and cunning scavenger, this situation by far would come to be her most challenging. She wondered how long she would have to play the role of double agent. Ematt and Leia could not give Rey a straight answer when it came to a time frame. Leia told Rey to prepare to be with the First Order for perhaps a month or more. It all weighed on how quickly they could rally the Resistance members, and what kind of information Rey could relay. She wondered if being around the darkness for such a long period would corrupt her somehow. She feared being consumed by the darkness, as Master Luke had once warned her before reluctantly taking her as an apprentice. She was much too old to begin training as a Jedi, but then again, he didn’t turn out so bad.

 Rey also wondered how pissed off the First Order will be when – or _if_ – the Resistance rescued her. Would they become so infuriated that a full-scale attack would be waged against the Resistance just to find her? The entire plan began to eat away at her conscience. Rey felt her stomach churning.

Rey suddenly jolted back to reality as Leia rested a hand on her shoulder. She smiled down at Rey and gently squeezed. “I can imagine your uncertainty,” Leia spoke softly, “but I know your strength.”

Rey’s eyes widened as she gazed at Leia. In this moment, Leia felt like the mother she never knew. She could feel a warm, comforting energy emanating from the general’s chest and flowing into hers. Leia was trying to calm her by sending her comfort through the force, and Rey greatly appreciated the gesture.

“By the sands of Jakku I will find the strength I need when times get hard.” Rey’s brow furrowed into an expression of determination.  

She continued. “I’ve been resilient my whole life. This mission will be no different.” Rey gave a confident smile, but on the inside her stomach was still in knots. She knew that the entire plan could end up becoming a suicide mission if she didn’t play her cards right.

The other members in the room considered her words for a few moments. One by one they looked at each other and nodded with approval.

Ematt began fidgeting in his chair. The old man had grown tired and restless. The meeting had lasted for over three hours, and he was now confident that Rey had memorized all of the information she needed. He clapped his hands together. “Alright.” He let out a long breath through his nostrils. “It looks like our conference has reached its goal.” He glanced at Rey. “I believe you had enough briefings for one day.”

Leia rose from her seat. “If there are no objections, let us adjourn.”

“Agreed.” Poe’s voice became distorted as he stretched his arms above his head. “I’m out. ‘Been holding in my piss for over an hour. Rey… I will see you later.” He nearly jumped over the conference table and darted for the fresher. Poe wasn’t one for long meetings, especially if it meant being confined to a chair. He was a very kinesthetic man at heart.

Ematt shook his head at Poe’s behavior. “I will never understand that man…” He grumbled. “Rey…please…” His eyes rose to meet hers. “Take good care of yourself.” With that he turned and exited through the sliding doors.

Finn walked over to Rey and put his hand on her back. “I know that you are tired of briefings, but I have some important information to share with you regarding what to expect on the Finalizer.” He grinned and cringed at the same time. “After all, I basically grew up on the damn thing. Could I tell you about it over dinner?” His eyes glistened as they pleaded with Rey.

Rey stared back for a few moments before speaking. She was just too exhausted for flirting, let alone the thought of having to take in more information. She let out a sigh and forced herself to smile.

“Fine.”

Finn’s face exploded with a giant grin. “Yeah! Err, I mean, cool.” He tried to downplay his sudden outburst of excitement. “ I will see you at the cantina tonight, Rey.” Finn kept eye contact with Rey during his entire walk to the exit.

Rey let out a loud groan and she slumped into her chair. Her fingers ran through her hair and she blew air out of her lips to move a stray chunk of hair that had fallen over her eyes.  “Shit.” She whispered to herself.

 A rustling noise made her turn back towards the center of the room. Leia was there by herself scooping up papers that had been scattered across the table. She seemed to be in deep thought. Rey figured it would be best to leave her alone. It had been a long day and everyone was on edge preceding the mission. She rose from the chair and made her way to the sliding doors.

Rey paused before exiting the room. She ran her arm up the door frame and leaned against it. With her back still facing Leia, she turned only her head.

“Leia.”

Leia stopped shuffling papers together and looked over at Rey.

There was a few moments pause.

“…I will bring your son home.”

Leia’s hands went limp and the papers that were just sorted so neatly scattered once more onto the table. Her mouth opened ajar. Had Rey heard her thoughts, her deepest wish?

Rey’s cheeks turned red. The declaration she just made came out of nowhere. She wasn’t sure why she had said it, or what prompted her to. She questioned whether it was even a realistic possibility, or why she would even consider bringing that lost boy-man here. It was a sudden compulsion that needed to be released.

With the statement said, Rey brushed her fingers down the door jam as her body moved away and out into the hallway.

\--

_The next day in the late afternoon outside the Resistance headquarters..._

A small group of Resistance troops stood in a circle around Rey. Poe, Finn, and Leia stood beside each other in front of her. One of the members had flown Rey's freighter over to her. It sat a few yards away.

"Do you have everything." Leia asked.

"I do." Rey replied with a slight nod.

A breeze swept through the trees.

"Please, if you feel in grave danger, contact us immediately." Poe slammed his hand on Rey's shoulder and squeezed it tightly as he looked her dead in the eyes. "I have no problem traveling the length of the galaxy to save my friend."

"We will be keeping track of you. Whatever you do, try to keep that communicator close at hand." Finn seemed the most distraught out of all of them. He knew personally the unmerciful wrath of the First Order, and he urgently prayed to the gods for Rey's safety.

"You have my word, Finn." Rey reached a hand over to his cheek and caressed it. Finn flinched at her touch.

The breeze picked up and blew leaves off of trees. They fluttered down to the earth among the group.

"When we meet again, I will return the information that was extracted from your memories. Until then, rest assured that they will find nothing of use." She sent Rey a mischievous wink. If anything, Leia really got a kick out of being a step ahead of the enemy. They might have sheer power, but she had sheer wit.

"Now, child, you must go." Leia rubbed Rey's arm. She hesitated for a moment, and then pulled Rey by the wrist so that her body crashed into Leia's bosom. She embraced Rey tightly as if she were her only kin. Leia brought her lips close to Rey's ear and whispered so low that only Rey could hear. "My son...there is good in him. I can feel it. The light has not given up on him." Rey's eyes widened. If it was anyone in the universe, Leia, the mother of the dark beast, would know her son. The connection between mother and son hadn't been severed, even with all of the distance between them. Apparently Kylo hadn't been able to completely block his mother from sensing him.

With that Leia broke the embrace. She held onto Rey's shoulders and looked at her with gently eyes. "You are ready, my dear. Go."

Poe and Finn suddenly threw themselves over Rey and embraced her in one giant group hug. Rey's eyes teared up. She loved the tightness of their hold, the scent of their sweat, the feel of their fabric on her skin. She loved being loved, being cared for. It is all she ever really wanted. This was her family and she was about to leave them for a second time to make a new, false family on the First Order...

"Now, Rey, go!" Leia shouted. She knew Rey was getting emotional and it wasn't the time for that. Rey needed to leave them quickly as possible before she started having second thoughts.

Stunned, Rey ripped away from Poe and Finn and darted towards her freighter. She twisted around one last time before entering the ship to wave goodbye. The Resistance troops, her friends and the general all waved goodbye. Within minutes the engines began to hum. A rush of air burst forth from the belly of the ship, catapulting Rey up towards the stars. The vehicle hissed as its engines propelled it higher and higher until it was out of sight.

Everyone on the ground of D'Qar gazed into the twilight sky. The sun had set below the horizon and the stars began to sprinkle across the heavens.

At that moment Leia opened a connection with Rey. She clung to her force signature tightly. "Be safe, my child."

 

 


End file.
